Srinagar, Aug 15: Believe it or not! The government seems to be concerned about traffic regulation only on the roads frequented by the VIPs, while other busy spots generally used by the Aam Aadmi alone are void of any Traffic police deployment.
 Of the 200 odd spots identified for policing, traffic regulation is being done at mere 80 locations. And so with the coalition government failing to provide adequate workforce to the “staff-starved” Traffic police, chaos prevails on most of the busy roads in the summer Capital leading to traffic mess.
 Simply put this makes the common man down the street helpless and obviously vulnerable to mishaps.

CONSPICUOUS BY ABSENCE
 There are no traffic cops on the busy squares in areas like Sekidafar, Karan Nagar, Khayam Chowk, Kak Sarai, Khanyaar, Hawal, Maharaj Gunj, Barzulla Baghat, Natipora, and Chanapora and the adjoining Bypass bridge.
 The government has even left the tourist hub of Nishat and the Hazratbal shrine square void of the men in blue making the travellers to fend for themselves.
 Pertinently, observers said, as against the proposed requirement of a 1000 odd cops, mere 250 men in blue regulate the City traffic thereby affecting the efficiency by 75 %.

THE STARVATION
 Officials said the traffic police has identified as many as 200 spots, technically called Traffic Points, which need the deployment to regulate traffic. But presently mere 80 such spots are being manned. Interestingly most of these points include the roads which are frequented by VIPs.
 This obviously hints that government is allegedly least concerned towards the welfare of Aam Aadmi.

ONE MAN ‘FUTILE’ SHOW
 Given the shortage of the workforce, some of the crucial junctions are manned by mere one or two cops. Take the case of busy Tengpora square. An ASI along with a constable manage the entire traffic on this busy highway which connects Srinagar with Muzaffarabad and other north Kashmir areas.
 For Parimpora Shalteng area, on the other hand, the deployment is mere six odd persons even though the requirement is proposed to be atleast 20 given the huge traffic congestion in the area.

THE JAMMING POLITICS
 For the past few months, leave apart Aam Aadmi, some VIPs too have been facing the traffic mess on the highway junction to north Kashmir.
 On July 14 it was former Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed who remained stuck in at Shalteng for around two hours while in the latest on July 26  Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ali Muhammad Sagar was seen held up somewhere near.
 Ironically Sagar, a senior National Conference leader faced the jam in the City, which fetched his party all the eight constituency seats in the assembly elections. Observers said given the 8/8 representation of the party in the government from Srinagar, the MLAs could have well got the traffic police field staff strengthened.
 This holds more of significance in the backdrop of the fact that MLA Amira Kadal Nasir Sogami happens to be the MOS Home while the Ministry is headed by none other than the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah himself. But still the City runs short of traffic police.

BOTTOMLINE
 Observers said given the huge traffic chaos in the City, the government should prioritize the strengthening of the Traffic police department. The issue carries more of weightage given the fact that there are hardly any wide roads to cater to the huge traffic flow of around four lakh vehicles which traverse the City roads, everyday. And it may take years to widen the roads while by that time, for sensible reasons, the City can’t be taken hostage in the name of long term developmental plans.
 The staff shortage is so worst that leave apart SP Traffic Srinagar Maqsood Ul Zaman, witnesses said even the Inspector General of Police (Traffic) Hemant Kumar Lohia is at times seen doing what a lower rung official should do: enforcement of traffic norms.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 15 Aug 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 15 Aug 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 16 Aug 2011 00:00:00 IST